Tuesday, September 29, 2009

For the last 6 years I have had no peace in the bathroom. It seemed as if a radar went off as soon as I entered the bathroom causing one or both of the kids to barge in.

But I think things are about to change.

Over the last couple of weeks, if Peter opened the door on me while I was using the toilet he would quickly close it. And it's been a while since he's come into the bathroom when I've been in the shower.

But I didn't think anything of it until Sunday morning. I was stepping out of the shower when I realized I left my robe hanging on it's hook in the closet. I was heading to the closet to retrieve it when I could hear Dan say from Peter's room, "Go show Mommy what you have on and see if it's o.k. for church."

Peter charged into the bedroom at exactly the moment I was scurrying (completely in the buff) towards the closet.

When he saw me a look of wide-eyed panic crossed his face and he shrieked "Aughhhhhhh! Ewwwwwww! I see your hair! I see your hair!" and ran from the room covering his eyes.

It's taken over 6 years, but perhaps I can finally have a little peace and quiet in the bathroom.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Today I want to introduce you to 4-year-old Gabriella. Gabriella was diagnosed in April with a severe and irreparable case of Myocardial Bridging which is causing Secondary Restrictive Cardiomyopathy.

Gabriella needs a heart transplant.

In fact, she was doing well enough that they she was going to be put on the heart transplant list on October 15th.

But on Friday Gabriella had a stroke. She has a blood clot in the left part of her brain and currently has no right side control and no speech.

In addition to this, her transplant is now on hold.

As I was reading the post updates that her mom Kristi wrote, I was amazed that she was able to see a miracle in this. She wrote:

"One miraculous thing I want to mention is speech. The location of her clot is directly on the speech area of her brain. Until puberty, children have the ability to relocate and reassign where the brains speech ability is located. Fortunately, she has the possibility of her speech returning because of how the brain performs this amazing change."

The human body never ceases to amaze me. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. - Psalm 139:14

Please pray that Gabriella's speech and movement be returned and if you have a moment, head over to their blog and let them know that you are praying for them.

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If you have a miracle that you want to share, it's easy! Just post about it on your blog and link to it here using Mr. Linky. Please make sure you link to the miracle and not to the front of your blog. Also mention A Mom's Life in your post and if you want to, you can use the Miracle Monday button in your post.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

I would love to know what happened at school today I wanted to scream! But I decided I should keep my cool considering every time I ask her or Peter about school I am met with a shrug of the shoulders and an "I don't remember."

"What happened?" I quietly asked barely looking up from the cupcake batter I was cleaning off the counter tops and the back splash.

"Riley kissed me!"

Not quite the answer I was hoping for.

"Oh he did?" I said brightly. "Where?"

"In the circle at circle time."

Again, not really what I was looking for.

"No, I meant where. Like on the cheek?"

"No. It was on the nose."

At this point I was biting my lip to keep from laughing out loud. And then in my head I'm wondering if he was aiming for the lips and missed, or aiming for the cheek and missed or if he in fact was aiming for the nose.

"Do you like Riley?" I continued.

"Yes. But Kirsten doesn't."

"Well, it doesn't matter if..." I began to launch into my speech and I got cut off.

"I know. I know. Don't say it." I guess Sarah got enough of that lecture last year during preschool when she had a very strong-willed BFF who did not like it when Sarah liked people that she didn't like. It was a lot of 4-year-old drama.

And as she was brushing off my lecture it seemed like I was talking to a 15-year-old instead of a 5-year-old. I felt as if I was holding a heavy crystal ball.

I then changed my line of questioning and asked if she minding Riley kissing her. And she said yes she did mind.

So I told her if he tried it again she could say no and that would be o.k.

She seemed relieved at that answer and happily resumed gluing yarn to a piece of paper she had cut out with her nubby-tipped scissors and I was happy to be talking to a 5-year-old again.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Here's a quick recap of Rhema and her current capabilities as described by her mother Jeneil: "Rhema is a 5 ½ years old with autism, aphasia, and a seizure disorder – all of which make it extremely difficult… no, nearly impossible for her to speak and understand language. When last tested,Rhema had the expressive and receptive language of a 12-month old."

And if you will remember, Rhema's name means "spoken word" which is extremely ironic considering that she doesn't really speak.

Since Rhema was a little baby Jeneil has been quoting the following verse to her every night at bedtime:

"The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:8,)

Please stop what you are doing and go to her blog to see what God is doing with his Word and with his beautiful non-verbal daughter Rhema.Go! Now!

He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. - Job 5:9

Do you have a miracle you want to share? If so, please post it on your blog and link to it here using Mr. Linky. Please mention A Mom's Life in your post and if you want to, you can put my Miracle Monday button in your post.

Monday, September 14, 2009

It's easy to participate. Just write about a miracle that you have witnessed, heard about or been a part of and link back to it here. You can copy and paste the Miracle Monday badge into your post if you would like. That's it!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Sarah asks me this almost every night in the bathtub as she looks down at her tummy.

"No, honey. You aren't fat. You are perfect!" is always my reply.

Because she isnot fat and she is perfect.

I'm not sure where she gets this notion of being fat. I have been very careful not to use the "f" word around her.

I never stare in the mirror and call myself fat or ugly or big or gross or hideous or any number of words I used to use to describe myself at various points in my adolescence.

I never tell her she can't have a treat because she might get fat. And when I talk about eating fruits and vegetables I always tell the kids it's because I want them to grow up to be strong and healthy and never because I don't want them to get fat.

So where is all of this coming from? I wish I knew so I could make it stop.

I don't want my 5 year old to worry about being fat.

I've been wondering if it's because I'm Shredding and getting excited with the way I look and feel. When she asks me why I'm "taking my exercise" as she calls it, I explain it's because mommy wants to be healthy and strong. (Which is true.) I never mention that I want to wear a bikini or that I want to wear smaller clothes. (Which is also true.)

I wonder if she can sense it though. If my actions and my words, as guarded as they may be, are sending her the wrong message about her beautiful 5-year-old body.

I hope not. Because I want her to love herself, inside and out. And I don't ever want her to have to ask me if she's too fat or too tall or too freckled.

I want her to know that she's perfect. But it's more than just knowing it in her head.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

I was hoping that after 4 and a half months of Shredding I would be able to post an end of summer picture of myself in a bikini. And I was going to do it too. However, my stomach isn't quite flat enough yet for me to even think about purchasing a bikini much less posing for a picture in one and posting it here for the world to see.

However, I did manage to upgrade my tankini skirt to bikini bottoms this summer and with strategically placed children, I think I look pretty darn good.

And don't even get me started on my arms. My husband and kids are getting tired of me flexing my muscles for them. I was even flexing for my mom the other day. I think I saw her eyes roll around a little bit but she told me how great they looked anyway. (I love you, Mom!)

So I'm going to keep on working out and trying harder to watch what I eat so that next summer I can wear a bikini. That's the plan anyway. (And just for comparison purposes, take a look at me from May of 2008. )

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

There was something about the way the September sunlight played against the swings on the playground today while I was chasing after 14 three-year-olds that immediately took me back.

The swiftness in which I was carried back through the years almost took my breath away. Memories of Peter and Sarah played in my mind like old film footage, grainy and silent.

We were at the park. Sarah was giggling as I pushed her in the swings and Peter was running and jumping and climbing. I was holding my breath and praying his two-year-old legs wouldn't betray him.

I remembered another favorite park. The giant sand box was filled with buckets and bulldozers and shovels. The day was hot and we had packed a lunch of sandwiches and chocolate Pokky.

And then I recalled the many times I loaded both kids into the double stroller for a long walk through the neighborhood. Our old neighborhood was fairly large but most of the moms I knew worked so I spent many days with no one to talk to except my kids.

I spent those long walks babbling about the trees, the grass and the sky - nothing in particular. We would make it all the way to the coffee shop where I would order an iced chai latte and the kids would fuss until I reluctantly shared my treat with them. They would pass the icy drink back and forth while I began the trek back home.

I felt someone tug on my shirttail. I glanced up at the sky and noticed that the angle of the sun had changed ever so slightly and I was pulled back into the present.